Seven Souls
by Kyoryokuna1113
Summary: I made a choice today, I've decided that fate can take a swan dive into an active volcano. Because I am not going to sit back and twiddle my thumbs, while my precious people suffer. oh no, things are going to change around here, I'm making sure of it. (Self-Insert)
1. Prologue

Death is strange, I thought.

Everyone's thinks you will go to some version of heaven or hell, some religions have reincarnation but I was christian. So... I don't think option three applies to me.

Either way, when I died I didn't find myself burning or standing in front of the pearly gates, no, I was floating. Oh I did panic at first, I knew that if I was feeling something then that meant that I was still alive. I panicked because the last living memories I had were of me being crushed as my car was hit and folded over by a 40-ton semi truck.

Then I thought i was still alive and my body was in so much pain that it's simply made me go numb to the point where I wouldn't feel the folding agony. But then I realized if I was numb then I shouldn't feel warmth, have the sensation of being suspended in an unknown place.

That was when I started to believe that I HAD died and was simply a consciousness floating in the void, waiting till I made peace with my death and passed on.

I continued to believe this till I started to feel others around me. Not in a physical sense but simply as an awareness of there being life forms other than my own around me. I tried to look for these lives but panicked again seeing only black, I feared I had gone blind or lost my eyes.

After I calmed down again, I discovered that while focusing slightly on that sense I could see a humanoid shape in the same location that I sensed the life-forms.

They were just human shapes, most of them giving off a simple glow like soft candle lights. Others had purples, reds, and blues mixed in. there was also a repeated pattern of yellow, and a good number that had a harsh white light surrounding them.

As if answering an un-asked question, my brain told me one word.

souls

I was seeing peoples souls.

I tried moving forward as if to make contact, but was restricted buy something I can only describe as being similar to a rubber ball. Upon closer inspection of my strange prison, I found myself to be inside the soul of another, and based on my position... It came as a horrible realization that I was inside a womb, in other words I was being reborn.

With all adult memories intact apparently.

Seeing as I never really did keep track of time, the only way I knew that I was going to be born soon was the fact that my current living-space was slowly getting to be too small.

I tried not to think about it, what would have to happen to be born.

However I could not stop the tightening of my temporary home nor the VERY uncomfortable feeling of being pushed through a rubber tube.

It was traumatizing.

It was actually remembering the genuinely terrifying experience of being birthed. Add in the fear of suffocation as well as being squeezed to the point of pain which reminded me of my death.

That made my own soul take action, because apparently I could do that. Not that I realized this at the time, seeing as I just experienced the miracle of life from a baby's viewpoint.

I couldn't see where I was but that was a given seeing as infants are basically blind right after birth, but there was no mistaking the blindingly bright golden aura around the person I can only assume is my mother.

She was afraid, genuinely terrified, of what I couldn't tell but, I would not lose my mother again if I could help it. Even if the first time wasn't actually my fault.

Thus my desire to insure my new families survival, made a large dome-like shield around the larger body holding mine.

The shield i learned later in life was actually my soul, being...projected?

And just in time apparently because shortly after it went up, my Dome of protection was assaulted.

That is the point where I passed out.

 **Hatake Sakumo**

As a successful jounin of the Hidden Leaf Village, Sakumo can say that he is quite skilled at problem solving. However the dilemma he was currently faced with was not something easily dealt with, no, this issue would not be resolved in a normal fashion. Sometimes obstacles in life can be removed with a quick knife thrust, or a well- timed Jutsu. However problems that fall into an area where the moral compass is necessary, are a lot more difficult to bypass.

This was the scenario he was currently watching from afar.

There appeared to be a full Squadron of chunin level Ninja, with at least four jounin mixed in the ranks. All the Shinobi currently engaged in battle, we're attacking a large golden sphere with what might be a woman inside.

No progress was being made on destroying the protective orb, but the attacks still persisted.

Sakumo did not know who was inside the sphere, but he didn't think it was fair for anyone to be ganged up on by this many skilled Shinobi.

The fact that he didn't want the Iwa-nin to get their hands on what they obviously wanted desperately, was irrelevant.

The woman was special so he decided to help her.

By the time he dispatched all enemy nin, and the shield actually lowered, he realized it was too late to save the new young mother.

And she must have just given birth to the infant she was holding, if the fatigued look and suspicious lump of something was anything to go by. But although he didn't actually know any details about childbirth, he knew that losing that much blood was not good.

And by the look on her face she knew she wasn't going to make it.

The next bit is the real issue however.

Here he was ass-deep in Iwa territory, just coming back from spying, being **begged** by an **Iwa shinobi** to take her child and bring it somewhere safe.

Among her desperate pleas he heard that the child apparently had no father, or at least none alive he assumed, and that her name would be tamashi.

From what he could sense there was barely enough chakra to keep the infant alive, so there would be no benefit to the hidden leaf on a military standpoint. Even though the woman had a fairly large reserve in his professional opinion.

Taking everything into consideration, he should just turn and leave. Because really, why should he help an enemy from the village his own is at war with.

However he cannot unsee the sheer desperate look in her eyes, as she begged him to save her child.

In the end his heart won out over his head, and he walked from the dead woman in the clearing with a child in his arms. Mentally deciding what his story would be to the Hokage, once he got the hell out of stone country that is.

Thus the image of Hatake Sakumo, respectable jounin of the leaf. Returning from a mission with an infant wrapped in his jacket, was not one the gate guards would soon forget.

Neither would anyone who saw him on the street as he walked towards the hokage tower.

Apon reaching his esteemed leader, he spun the story of finding an abandoned child on the borders of the land of fire while on his way home from a mission.

Which resulted in the infant promptly being dumped into konoha's sadly filling orphanage.


	2. I'm in NARUTO!

**Tamashi**

I can honestly say I'm greatful I didn't really remember that first year.

I vaguely recall how desperate I felt at all times, and I dont even want to think of how I needed to be changed.

but through sheer will and determination, I could walk on my own.

yay.

I had difficulty understanding the language at first, but after being surrounded by it non-stop?

well, lets just say I wouldn't need to use subtitles for anime anymore.

That didn't mean I stopped practicing my english though, it was already ingrained into my brain and could be used as a secret language if I needed. That being said, as soon as I could hold a pencil I began writing as much as I could in English.

To others it was chicken scratch, but for me it was a recording of my precious memories from my old life.

On another note, after six more months of life, I finally figured out where I was and I'm really glad that I don't need those subtitles anymore. For the simple reason that I was going to watch an anime. For the rest of my life….. by living through it in first person.

My major clue was the mountain, at first I thought it was Mt. Rushmore. Then I realized that not only was it missing a head, but the three that were there were wrong. After a closer inspection, the cool fingers of dread slowly gripped me.

That, I concluded, was the Hokage mountain, and those funny dressed people in the streets were wearing leaf headbands.

I was reborn into fucking Naruto.

Okay.

So.

I'm in Naruto.

Right how does a normal person deal with that?

I considered what I knew. Based off the fact that there are only three heads on the mountain right now, Minato has yet to become Hokage. Which means that there is the slightest possibility that I can alter some stuff. Hopefully.

I haven't seen any recognizable characters yet, however that can be attributed to the fact that I am only one and a half years old and I barely leave the orphanage.

Otherwise all I've got is that I'm a sort of outcast of the orphans. well, I'll admit that I'm rather removed from the other kids, but I am younger then them and much to quiet in comparison. Thus I'm left alone to my own planning.

Speaking of, I don't want to draw attention to myself just yet. So laying low for me it is, perhaps I can join the academy or something.

But... what then? Can I keep up with everyone? Foreknowledge or not, skill and talent are a huge determining factor in any plan I might make to change fate. Then, are Obito, Rin, and Kakashi even born yet? How do I know I haven't missed my chance at saving them, or if I'll even be strong enough too.

There is also chakra, I don't even know if I have enough to be a shinobi.

It was shortly after this thought that my concentration was interrupted by the matron, she asked one question.

"what are you thinking about so hard over here little one?"

That simple question stopped me short, then my mind went haywire.

I couldn't tell anyone anything! If I was going to have even a slim chance of altering reality then I needed everything to progress in proper order. So that meant all my thinking stuff is hush hush.

Apparently my physically underdeveloped brain applied that rule to everything, and I essentially became a mute. Which caused me to become more isolated from my fellows. At least they pushed me to learn to write so I could still communicate to a degree.

So I kept to myself, only going out to explore my new home, and trying to figure out chakra.

 **Hatake Sakumo**

He didn't want to get involved, he really didn't. However the second he took the child from the dead woman's arms he subconsciously decided to take responsibility.

So that is why he was now stalking a two year old orphan around konoha, on his first free day this month when he really should be sleeping.

She seemed both focused and distracted compared to the others in her group. Distracted because she was clearly not finding any interest in whatever the matron of the orphanage was talking about. Yet, she was intently looking around with an almost, calculating look, observing her surrounding with what he would have dubbed chunin level paranoia if it weren't for the open curiosity in her gaze.

Honestly it was a mature look that didn't belong on her face, especially at her age. He would have dubbed her a potential genius if it weren't for her chakra levels.

However if she found the right kind of teacher that could look past her pitiful reserves, things might be different. Oh he was just kidding himself, not only is she an orphan with no chakra, but she apparently went mute half a year ago and no one knows why.

No clan, no chakra, apparently no speech now, even if they just finished the war and needed to replenish the ranks, they wouldn't accept her unless she somehow proved to be a secret prodigy. There was also the fact that she might not want to be a ninja, lets hope for that so no dreams need to be crushed.

It was when he almost chopped off the head of the ANBU that approached him, that he decided to stop tailing a group of children and get some damn sleep.

Of course that didn't answer his question of why this ANBU was sneaking up on him in the first place, or trying to at least. When he relayed his question out loud they in turn questioned his actions in the first place.

He recited the story he told the Hokage, and followed with how he felt slight responsibility for her wellbeing because he brought her here.

There was a moment of silence, both shinobi quietly watching the group of children below before the ANBU spoke.

"Danzo-san sent a scout to the matron two weeks ago, seeking potential recruits for root."

He wasn't really surprised, orphans with no ties to anyone are easiest to train. But with her levels…

"I assume you are aware of her less then average chakra reserves." A nod, "then you understand why, despite her intillectual brilliance, she was not chosen for the program." Another nod.

of course he knew, hell he was a ANBU captain, but hearing it from someone else did make him relax a little.

Quiet and reserved as she might be, Sakumo liked the squirt. She showed intelegence at a very early age, hell as soon as she could hold a pencil she was making up languages.

And whatever she was constantly writing had to be real and not just random scribbles, there was to much structure and order for it to be random. That and the fact that she poured over the books she wrote in almost every night before hiding them under her mattress.

Mute she may be, stupid she most definitely is not.

Sadly that didn't still change her chances of being a ninja, but there were other options for someone of her potential.

But now he needed sleep. With no one else requiring his attention, Sakumo went home and dreamt about a certain Inuzuka woman that had a beautiful smile.


	3. Little genius

When I turned three, the dreams started.

At first, I would forget everything by the time I woke up. By three and a half they started to stick, and I had no idea what they were.

They were nothing more than blobs of color, followed by a feeling of something that was missing. It was actually starting to drive me crazy, to the point where I actually wanted to ask for help. But that would probably mean I would be sent to someone who works with minds, someone who was probably a Yamanaka. And that was a no-no.

So I consulted books on dreams and meanings, which got me some attention that I really didn't want. The matron had seen me reading dream books several times, when we went on an outing to the library. Other kids my age were looking at fairy tails with pretty pictures, while I was going to the psychology section for books on dream theory.

She had cornered me after the third library visit, asking if I was sleeping okay or if I was having nightmares. In hindsight, I probably should have just written that I was having some weird dreams and wanted figure out why. Rather then shrug and walk away, because children nonchalantly reading psychology books apparently wasn't normal.

So now I have one of the "big kids" with me at all times, reporting every week to the matron to make sure nothing was happening to me. Like bullying, or abuse from an adult outside the orphanage. It got really annoying really fast, since I had to stay with my "weekly buddy" I had to go where they wanted.

Children under the age of 10 have no lives, and find a frightening amount of joy in the most mundane things. Like a ball. That they really shouldn't have tried to give to me. In their defense, they wanted to play and were trying to include me. So points for them, but if your going to give a rubber ball to an ex-twenty year old martial artist to whom kickball was life, run.

They tried to throw it to me nicely, but the second the ball left their hands I got tunnel vision. My brain essential went. TARGET BALL AQUIRED, PREPARE RETURNING ACTION, FOOT TO BALL LOCK, FIRE!

Yeah... poor kids nose didn't stand a chance, and any hope the matron had of me making friends died. To say my disassociation with the other kids got worse, was an understatement. I was actively ignored, and my weekly buddy didn't let me get within 10 feet of their friends or the games they played.

So I decided to start my pre-ninja training, which consisted of me sneaking away from my babysitters and staying out of sight till an adult came to find me. I was getting a lot better, so I turned my focus back onto the dreams I still had.

That thought of something missing was what bothered me the most, especially since sometimes when I was roaming konoha after sneaking off I felt as if I almost found it. I started to search konoha in sections, keeping track of ever time is sensed my "missing piece".

Given how much it apparently moved I could only assume it was a person, or widely used object. I'm leaning towards person because sometimes it almost felt like I was being followed, other times I got close and it moved again before I could catch a glimpse. All in all I was frustrated, the only good side to this fruitless chase is my sensing abilities are improving but that's the only good thing.

I had to think.

After a particularly almost close encounter several months into my search, I sat down and thought about just who my missing piece could be. I was leaning towards a shinobi, given the fact that civilians don't normally jump onto rooftops when I get close. Nor do they whiz past me at a speed the normal eye can't see, and I don't think an average citizen camps out in the tops of trees, just annoyingly out of sight.

With an elite in mind, I thought about how my irritatingly evasive missing piece might be avoiding me. I know ninja are paranoid to hell and back so they probably see me coming, but the close calls tell me that sometimes they don't and something else informs them of my presence.

What could it be...

Wait. If I can sense this person, then they can probably sense me... CHAKRA! Even if they don't see me coming visually, they can still sense my chakra. Which gives me some hope of being a ninja if I can be sensed by shinobi. So, new plan, next time we went to the library I looked for books on chakra and how it works. The matron seemed surprised when I skipped the dream books, but I didn't miss the look she gave me when she saw the new genre. I wonder what was wrong?

Oh well, I could investigate that later, for now I delved into the theory behind physical and spiritual energy mixing to make the magic power that is chakra. And more importantly, how to supress it. I got a wonderful surprise about two weeks later, a woman who was clearly a shinobi approached me and actually checked if I was real.

When she finally stopped saying "KAI!" and poking me, I asked what she was doing. Her response of how she couldn't detect any chakra from me, and was checking to see if is was a genjutsu or clone, made me feel very accomplished. I told her how I wanted to be a ninja and that I was training to keep from being sensed, she smiled at me, ruffled my hair, and told me to enjoy being a kid for as long as I could. I didn't see the pitying look she sent me when I turned and went home.

Home, before now I never really thought of the orphanage as home, I just kind of came back, wrote my day down in my journal in English, and slept. I guess I've accepted this is my new life now. Huh.

 **Hatake Sakumo**

He was worried about the squirt, after going mute her life seemed to just keep going downhill. Not only did she apparently have dreams alarming enough that she looks at books on brain theory. But when she finally seemed to try interacting with kids her age, she makes one move and everything's ruined. Although he cracked the hell up at watching her smoke the kid in the nose with a ball, sweet kick or not it was still difficult to see her being actively ignored by all her peers afterwards.

He asked the matron about the books but the woman had no clue, he suggested trying to get the girl so spend time with her fellows but that turned into a bust. He didn't know what to do, children weren't exactly his area of expertise. So he could only sit back, and watch as she grew even more distant and isolated.

Then she started sneaking off, sure she was caught the first few times, but she learned from her mistakes an improved in stealth. Honestly if it weren't for her bloody chakra reserves then he would call her a genius and take dibs on having her as his apprentice. Because not only was watching her evade the matron amusing as hell, but the fact that she could actively avoid both her AND the genin teams that were hired after her fourth successful escape was impressive.

He was intrigued when she started methodically searching konoha, and even more so when she seemed to almost start tracking something. It was two months into her apparent hunt that he discovered what she was looking for, it was him. She was looking for him and he didn't know why. He clearly told the matron when he brought her the infant that he couldn't be involved with the child so why was she searching?

He questioned the matron after a particularly close call, if he hadn't known she was searching and familiarized himself with her tiny but distinct chakra signature, then she would have had him. Which just goes to show how much potential he has, how talented she already is. Fucking chakra.

He never thought he would be glad, that he spent the evening in a tree when there was a perfectly good bed waiting for him at home. Because it was when he was observing the little genius do her daily writing, that he saw her slow down, and he watched as what he assumed was realization slowly make its way onto her face. That was not good.

He made sure to ask the matron to keep an eye on the girl, and report back to him when he got back from his mission later that week. She was confused at first, stating that when he brought the child to him almost three and a half years ago, he made it clear he had no interest in adoption. It wasn't till he told her that the child was following him, that she promised to keep him up to date on her progress.

The situation he was currently in however, made him want to kick himself. She was showing an interest in chakra, and that can lead to wanting to be a ninja. Fuck. He was really hoping she wouldn't go down that path, there's nothing but disappointment and heartache at the end.

His life was going to get harder now, according to Uchiha Kireina's gossip in the ANBU locker room. She apparently came across a shrimp of a kid in the street, who was supressing her chakra to the point of it not being detectable at all, and she would have mentioned this to the Hokage, if the kid didn't stop practically cloaking herself only to show that her levels were not worth mentioning.

The loud groan from their captain made everyone pause, a question clear in the air. "she has been stalking me for six months and I don't know why. It was hard enough to avoid her when she was both visible and sensible. But now."

A quiet chuckle at his expense cost them all a training experience that will never forget. The only good thing coming out of this, he thought, is that I'm becoming fantastic at finding people who are virtually invisible.

That doesn't mean he isn't dreading the day she does find him, he hopes it won't be anytime soon.


	4. Enter Minato

**Tamashi**

I didn't know what had changed, for a while there I was left to my own devices, next thing I know I'm under the full scrutiny of the matron of the orphanage herself. She didn't tell me why she decided I was her "best helper" but I think it has to do with leaving the genin teams she hired in the dust. Now I'm under her personal surveillance, with no chance of escape. Upside is that I'm learning to cook, downside is that it sucks when you have to do it for almost thirty hungry children. All of whom are picky eaters that leave creations I put my heart into, to rot in the trash only half finished.

I accepted my fate after the third escape attempt, when she sent the rest of the orphans on a mad search that they made a game of called "find the freak". I didn't stand a chance, so no more hunting for missing piece for me... for now.

I grew accustomed to my new life over the next year and a half, till fate decided the punch me.

In the face.

With a brick.

Because it was shortly after my fifth birthday that **he** arrived. It was a perfectly normal day for me, wake up, find the matron to see if she has any errands for me, read, write, meditate because that is important for chakra control, and get through my day without wanting to strangle someone. Oh yes, being forced to stay around the others has brought out my... less tolerant side.

But it was supposed to be a normal day, I wasn't expecting anything strange to happen. Then that brick made contact. There I was, contemplating if I should beat this kid with a broom, when I was called by the matron. She met me in the hallway, with a... strained smile. Ah, she was trying to get me to make friends again, we haven't had a new arrival in months but when we do she sick's them on me to try and get me to be social.

Now that I knew what she wanted I stopped paying attention, she said a name I didn't hear, and turned to gesture the newbie forward. I still wasn't paying attention, because missing piece, or asshole mp as I now called them, was hanging around again.

I was looking out the window when the matron loudly calling my name broke my concentration. I turned to look back at her and froze, and for the first time since I was two and a half years old, I opened my mouth and spoke.

"FUCKING HELL!"

 _SMACK_. Yeah I deserved that.

Both people looked at me in shock, one because I just swore very loudly, the other because although she just hit me, this was the first time she's heard me speak in years.

There was a loud thump outside, so we all went to investigate, apparently the asshole mp was not expecting this outburst, and was currently laughing his ass off on the front lawn.

Apparently I was right, that asshole mp was a shinobi, a high ranking one at that. In fact they were a bloody ANBU captain if the uniform and red scarf was anything to go by. also APPARENTLY asshole mp was a Hatake, and given my current knowledge of the Naruto timeline it was Hatake **SAKUMO** no less. I was fucking pissed.

And now my second set of words,

"MOTHER FUCKER!" _SMACK!_

Oh I'm beyond caring right now. But him laughing even harder is really pissing me off, so there I go, marching in all my five year old glory, to kick a ANBU where the sun don't shine. He caught my foot of course, and kept laughing. So I body slammed him, in the face, with my elbow.

Third...

"YOU ASSHOLE! I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR YOU FOR TWO YEARS!"

the words 'I know' really didn't help to calm me down.

It took the matron and two helpers to drag me away from trying to strangle the still giggling Hatake, who saluted and promptly bailed.

And now I'm left at the mercy of the matron...shit.

The only good side of things is I know where I am in the timeline. Because the newbie was Minato Namikaze. But why was he staring at me?

 **Hatake Sakumo**

He couldn't breath, he honestly couldn't breath. He was always tried to be present when a new child was introduced to the kid, he wanted to see how she interacted with people who didn't really know her yet. And boy was he glad he was here, the matron called her name, she turned, and froze. At first her thought she had an instant crush but her words, the first she's spoken since she was 2, were the real kicker.

"FUCKING HELL!"

Oh man, the little squirt would never let him down, he was shocked enough that he fell from his position in the tree, laughing, he cant remember the last time he laughed that hard. And then she came out swearing like a sailor at HIM! Screaming that she's been looking for him for two years, he had wondered what happened when she stopped showing up around konoha, but a quick chat with the matron cleared things up. She was being kept busy, so she wouldn't have time to bother him anymore.

Sure it was starting to get difficult to avoid her, but he didn't find her to be a nuisance. If anything she helped him with his observation and evasion skills, not that he would admit that to anyone. But never annoying, he also found it cute whenever he checked up on her via tree near window, and she would do her best to glare out the window. Right at him.

Okay low levels or not this kid is interesting, she can mask herself to the point she's invisible in all but sight, which can be fixed through training. If she gets a sense of something she can apparently track it in an area that covers and area the size of the village, most sensors don't even have that kind of range, and she taught herself that at 3 and a half years old. How she got on his trail he still doesn't know, but she hasn't given up looking for him for two years, that kind of commitment is no joke.

She is already rather efficient at stealth, if her evasion of the genin team during her hunting days was anything to go by. All self taught with no clear sign of stopping, honestly she is rightfully a genius without chakra, and if no one else is willing to see that then he's going to hone her skill himself.

And boy is he looking forward to that. He would tell the Hokage his decision tomorrow, but first sleep.

 **Namikaze Minato**

He really didn't know what to think, the matron of the orphanage told him that she was going to introduce him to a nice, if quiet, girl that would show him around. He could ask her questions, because the girl was supposed to be mute, and she hopes him and the girl could be friends.

When he first saw her she was quiet, which he expected, and she seemed uninterested in what the matron was saying. It was the loud calling of " **Tamashi** " which he guessed was the girls name, that brought her attention back to them. She went completely still, then loudly cursed. He really wasn't expecting that, the smack she got was well earned though.

He grew even more shocked when she went and screamed and cursed at an ANBU that was... laughing? in the grass out front. She went as far as trying to attack the man on the ground but was obviously not successful. The ANBU left still laughing, while the expression he could only describe as 'oh shit' adorned her face. He saw that face many times most of which were shortly before his father got yelled at. Minato could only stair at her hair, which had been slowly turn red starting at the roots.

Tamashi was grabbed by the ear and dragged back inside the building while he followed closely behind, watching as her hair returned to their normal dark chocolate brown. He felt slightly awkward sitting outside the matrons office as she lectured his supposed guide, but it was over soon enough. both woman and girl returned to the hall, the latter given instructions to show him around and get him settled.

She sighed and gestured for him to follow, and she leads him around the building, pointing and explaining each room and their purpose. He noticed that unless she was actively telling him something about his new home, she was silent. A far cry from the first five minutes of their initial meeting, he hopes she talks more, her voice is nice. When she's not cursing that is.

Even though things started out a little iffy, Minato does hope they can be friends.


	5. New Friends

**Tamashi**

I took two weeks for me to start talking normal again, but even then that was only to the matron and Minato. He was rather reserved around me at first, I guess cursing loudly at our first meeting wasn't the best idea. But still, the quiet blonde boy stayed close by, he didn't seem to want to spend too much time with our peers. He helped around the kitchen, assisted me by maintaining light conversation, and I in turn told him stories about my hunt of the elusive ANBU, he always smiled a little at that.

I liked to think that we were slowly becoming friends, or more, I hoped at least. It was during a normal day that the event that sealed our friendship occurred. Minato and I were sitting out of everyone's way, trading stories, when we were approached by one of the older kids.

"Hey, new kid!"

We both turned at the intrusion to our quiet conversation, " you should come hang out with us instead of the freak, she's probably going to get bored of you soon anyways."

All said with that childish arrogance, I forgot that kids can be right assholes. I stood up, ready to leave. Now I probably shouldn't have lumped Minato in the same kind of group as them, I mean, even though he was dead basically the whole time, he was still a pretty main character being Naruto's dad and all. Thus I'm slightly ashamed at the surprise if felt when he stood up and came beside me clearly stating that he was exactly where he wanted to be.

Then that snobbish brat had to go and say a snide comment among the lines of Minato being a freak too, and that he really should have known as such given his dumb hair color. Oh hell no.

If there was one thing that came with me when I was reborn, it's my scary, if a little violent, protective nature towards my friends. And Minato defiantly applied for that now, so I walked right over, and punched the jerk in the face as hard as I could. After which I grabbed Minato's hand, ran out the door, and into the village laughing. Not really paying attention to the looks I was getting.

That I say, is when me and Minato truly started, him standing up for me, and me punching a kid in the nose. What a beautiful beginning ro our friendship.

We didn't get really far though, especially not when the matron herself came after us. I got yelled at sure, but she quickly forgave me when I said I was defending my friend. It felt good to say that.

We stuck together from then on, he always stayed close by, and I decided to teach him English, saying it was our special language. I won't admit it's because I wanted someone to talk to in my mother tongue, the fact that I could rant to Minato about anything, and everyone else would be non the wiser was just a perk.

It was a few weeks after the "incident" that I was set free from the matron's watch, and with all this time on my hands, I resumed my search for Sakumo. This time however would be different, because this time I had Minato.

We would make our plans in English, because you never know who's listening, and execute them together, it was lots of fun.

We were getting ramen after one such event when he told me his dream.

"I want to become Hokage."

Then silence, he was staring at me with apprehension, and a little fear. Did he honestly think I was going to laugh at him? Well, we best fix that now.

"Hmm, if your going to be Hokage. Then you need really strong ninja helping you right?"

His shock almost made me laugh, "so then I'm going to be the strongest ninja under your command"

I finished with a grin, and he smiled. Not one of those small things your face does when amused, but a real smile. I honestly didn't know what people meant before, when that say someone smiles like the sun. But now I do, it's… nice.

Considering I'm mentally twenty five, this seems so wrong but…. I want to keep him smiling like that, that's not bad. Right?

 **Namikaze Minato**

Things got better after… that first day, a lot better. Minato was still wary of the girl that straight up attacked an ANBU, but she had no other outbursts so he assumes there was something else going on there. He was right it seems, by helping her get used to talking again, she told him about how she was searching for that particular ANBU for years and he always stayed just annoyingly out of reach.

He maintained his presence by helping in the kitchen where he could, and just generally spending time with the mysterious Tamashi as she wrote in her strange language while muttering in gibberish.

It was actually during one of the times that they shared stories, that something happened. He was called by one of the older kids, and he realized, as the boy kept talking, that tamashi probably avoided the other children for a reason.

She had stood up to leave when he made his choice, he stood as well, and to the obvious surprise of the others walked to tamashi's side. Clearly stating that he was exactly where he wanted to be.

He knew that people could be rude and cruel, but that doesn't mean he didn't feel hurt when he as labeled as a freak, with the side comment that his hair was a dead giveaway to his weirdness. Neither was expecting the quiet tamashi, with hair bright flaming red, to walk over and punch the older boy in the nose, and Minato didn't think she would grab his hand and run into the village while laughing. That, he noticed, was the first time she genuinely laughed around him., he couldn't help but smile and watch as her fiery hair returned to its natural color.

They didn't get very far before the matron caught them, both were still grinning as they were dragged back to the orphanage by the ear.

Minato sat in the hallway outside the matron's office, smiling as he hears tamashi's reason for punching the kid.

"I was defending my friend!" she argued, "and who is this friend may I ask? You and I both know you don't get along well with the others."

Although he's a little sad that she's never had a friend before, her saying "MINATO!" without hesitation made him happy. If there was any doubt about their friendship before, it was squashed now.

With a quiet, " just please try to not hit other kids, okay?" and an apparent nod because Minato didn't hear anything, tamashi ran out the door and dragged him to her room, that was apparently also the day she would start to teach him English, after making him swear to not read her private books that is.

A few weeks after the "incident" both five year olds were pleasantly surprised, to be waved away with a "go and enjoy yourselves out in the sun." when asking if the matron needed anything. Now with more free time then what they really knew what to do with, Minato turned to his friend to ask what she wanted to do, but paused as her slightly dazed look.

Then an almost feral grin formed on her face, and he was honestly a little scared, he didn't question her actions as she him dragged along, muttering promises of painful deaths to someone, till they were sitting up a tree.

"you remember that ANBU I attacked on the front lawn? When you first came to the orphanage?"

After his slow nod, she told him how she was going to find him, and ask the questions she's had since she was three. He felt a little giddy when she asked his input on how to corner the ninja, clearly implying that she wanted him to help her. In _english_ of course, she told him everything she knew from her previous hunting days, and together they made a plan to try and find the elusive missing piece.

Of course they failed, but it was fun, they learned, and when they get back home again, they made a new plan. Best part, was that nobody really knew what they were doing, if they where questioned where they were going, they responded with "an adventure". He asked why she laughed the first time she said it, she told him it was from a story she read once, and when he asked to read it she said to wait a while. Several weeks later, she presented him a book, clearly handwritten, called "The Hobbit". He had never read a story like it before and asked if she had more, she said to give her time and she could make them.

It was two months after they started hunting together, that Minato made a decision. And so while eating ramen, after yet another plan failed, he told her of his dream.

" I want to become the Hokage"

There, he said it, but she was quiet. Looking at his friend with worry and fear, he awaited her response.

"hmm, if your going to be Hokage… then you're going to need really strong ninja to help you."

What? She just accepts it? Becoming Hokage is almost impossible, and yet…

"so then I'm going to become the strongest ninja under your command." She finished with a grin.

Honestly he really should have expected this from her, this was Tamashi the girl who attacked an ANBU the first time they met, the one who almost broke a kids nose when they called him weird because of his hair. She truly was his best friend, and if, if she stayed his friend then everything would be okay.

So for the first time since his parents died, Minato gave a real smile. And he was happy.

 **Hatake Sakumo**

Oh my god.

She was back, she was back, and now she had the help of that speedy little shit, and he was very rusty after the squirt was essentially put under house arrest. Now she had help, what was the blond's name? Ah yes, Namikaze Minato, orphaned when his parents were killed on a mission.

He was glad the squirt made a friend, he really was, even gave a chuckle when he learned she punched another kid in the blonds defense.

The kid was smart, she decided to teach him her weird language , the one he had no hope of understanding, and he soaked it up like a sponge. Now they could be found talking in what was gibberish to everyone else but themselves, they were writing in am indecipherable code too, which she also taught him.

He would have been very impressed if it wasn't being used against him. Because right now he had two little geniuses trying to corner him, and they were pretty creative. He honestly would have been caught that first time, if he hadn't seen the squirt by chance.

He had returned home from a mission, just reported to the Hokage, and he was tired. But by pure luck he saw her, and those rusty instincts were telling him something was up. So he jumped to the rooftops and watched her move about, honestly she looked far to much like a cat stalking a mouse for him to be comfortable.

So tired or not he followed her when she turned to leave, and that's how he discovered two five year old children plotting his demise.

Sigh, when they grow up they're going to be fine shinobi, he just hopes he can really help them reach their fullest potential.


	6. The flames of anger

**Tamashi**

We decided that day, because both of our dreams involved us being ninja, we should start training to get a headstart. Cutting the time we hunted sakumo in half, because i wasn't giving up on that just yet, we plotted out the best ways to train and improve.

It started out with stalking the training grounds, finding out which were being used at what times, which would be open if our regular was taken by older nin, unless we wanted to watch, where the jounin sensei taught their genin, all was taken into consideration.

When we finally started to physically train, we hit a slight bump in our plans, the idea of training is great and all… but how do you know if you improve, what do you do when you finish what you know? Minato knew some moves from watching his parents training, before they died, and I was a black belt in tae kwon do before my own death. However that wasn't much to go on, other than meditation for chakra control, and general strengthening of the body, we knew jack shit.

We agreed to stalk the academy students, sneak into their library if possible, so we would at least know what to expect when we finally enrolled. Till then it was simple hand to hand, as well as strength and flexibility training, with a touch of meditation.

Apparently life decided that things could never be simple for us, because one of our training days saw us being followed by some of the other orphans. Minato and I were sparring when they actually decided to make themselves known,

"Look guys, its the freaks"

We both paused mid strike, and turned towards the children who hadn't bothered us since i punched that one brat in the schnoz. A group of older kids were walking towards us, most with sneers and the others looking on in contempt.

"You know, we always wondered what you freaks could be up to all hours of the day. Sneaking off after breakfast, coming back for lunch, then leaving till night again. What interesting lives you must have, that keep you so busy that you can't spend time with the rest of us. Or is it… you think your to good for us? You think you're better than we are. Is that it?"

The speaker turned to the rest of the group, "you know what guys? I think that's it. Don't you?"

Them all nodding did not sit well with me, then minato spoke up in turn.

"We don't think we're better than you, we're training to be ninja, if you want to join us then you're more than welcome."

The apparent leader seemed to think of it, then a cruel smile grew on his face.

"Now why would we want to do anything with freaks like you."

The other kids circled us now, and that bad feeling got worse.

"Yeah freaks!", "weirdos", "who wants to train with freaks?".

Were all thrown at us, and I was getting angry.

"Look at the freaks hair!", "her heads going to explode!"

I wasn't paying attention anymore, because leader boy pushed Minato, and all I could see was red.

I didn't know I moved, couldn't feel the heat of the flames, all I cared about was helping Minato.

"S-stay back!"

My blonde friend was still on the ground, I was standing in between him and the bully, and apparently I was on fire. Literally.

"Don't ever come near me or my friends again," I stepped towards him and he fell back. "Do you understand?"

He nodded quickly and started crawling backwards, as I calmed down and looked around me, I could just tell that we were in deep shit.

The other children were running back to the village, and I could see the fear in their eyes as the looked back to make sure I wasn't following them. Minato was still on the ground, staring up at me with wide eyes, I sighed and turned away.

The fire still burning on the training field was alarming, did I do that? How?

There was a distant bell of recognition going off in the back of my head, but, it couldn't be, could it?

I was starting to panic internally, what if Minato hated me now? I got used to having him around, would I be okay if he wanted to leave? What do I do now?

My inner musings were disrupted by a hand on my shoulder, looking back I saw Minato looking at me with a comforting gaze.

"We can figure this out okay?"

I can only nod.

Oh yeah, he accepted kushina when she became a jinchuriki, he won't leave. Thinking of kushina set a stone in my stomach, _when she comes around things will be different._

I shouldn't think like that, Minato will still be my friend, even if he loves someone, he's still my friend.

Minato pulling on my hand broke me out of my thoughts, he pointed towards the ninja running towards us, oh right, the fire, how did that happen again?

I'll figure that out later, for now, we just ran back to the orphanage, hoping the storm we were running to wouldn't be too bad.

Man have I never been so wrong, she was waiting for us, the matron, killing intent leaking into the air, and if I didn't know she wouldn't actually murder us I would fear for my life. She marched towards us as we approached, grabbing both our arms and dragging us inside.

The kids who were picking on us were waiting in the foyer, shooting us looks that clearly told one thing, 'you guys are in serious trouble.'

" _What are we going to do Minato?_ "

I asked in english, his helpless look was all the answer I needed, he didn't know.

The knock on the door sounded like heaven to my ears, the matron paused in her march to her office, dragging us back to the foyer and with a firm glare telling us to stay, she answered the door.

It was a shinobi, Minato and I shared a nervous glance, the training field, was he here about the training field?

Apparently not, he introduced himself as a chunin scout, looking for younger kids who wanted to be a ninja and join the academy. Well seeing as this was an official scout looking for new recruits, the matron can't get mad at us for speaking up now can she.

"We do," Minato said, and the chunin looked us over,

"You're to young yet, but I'll put your name down to join later, and you girl…."

His pause was slightly worrying, "not nearly enough chakra, there's no way you can even consider being a shinobi, so best not even try."

I felt cold, cold and heavy, not enough chakra? But what about the fire? How have I been sensing sakumo? What about being Minato's strongest shinobi?

I slowly sat on the floor, Minato kneeling next to me with his arm around my shoulder.

"Surely there is a chance? How much chakra you have doesn't determine your ability as a ninja."

You go boy, you go, that man's expression however, shows your words don't mean much to him.

"Technically speaking no, chakra isn't the determining factor, but face it kid, it helps alot. Best find a new dream while you still can."

Then he left, without a care that he just crushed all my hopes, my desire to help Minato, Kushina, Obito, Rin, Sakumo, and all the others whose fate I wanted to make better.

The matron slowly closed the door, pity clear on her face, "I know that was difficult, but we still have something to discuss, don't we."

It wasn't a question.

She was thankfully going to let us walk on our own this time, when there was another knock on the door. Confusion clear on her face, as we really don't get this many visitors, the matron opened the door again, this time it was an ANBU.

Now I know we were in deeper shit than anything the matron could dish out. As I expected, Minato and I were summoned by the Hokage. The matron asked for a moment with us first.

"I don't know what you did but tell me what happened with those kids."

She asked sternly, "they were calling us freaks, then one of them pushed Minato, and I just moved, I didn't even hit anyone this time."

She huffed a slight laugh at that last quip, and ushered us towards the ANBU waiting by the door. A hand was put on both of our shoulders and the world went swirly, only to right itself again and we were standing in front of the old man himself… only he wasn't old. This has probably been the most unnerving thing I've seen yet. I've only ever seen the Hokage as an old man, not as someone who was still in his prime. It was. Disorienting.

He didn't really beat around the bush, "what happened at training ground seventeen?"

The pressure in the air felt suffocating.

"They were calling us names, and one of them pushed Minato down, I don't really know what happened, except that I moved, and there was suddenly fire everywhere."

His gaze was locked on me for what felt like forever, then he turned to Minato. "And what do you say to this?"

Minato looked at me, with no fear, "we were training, and then the others approached us, calling us freaks. Tamashi's hair was starting to go red, like it always does whenever she is angry."

The Hokage's gaze turned sharp as it landed on me, but I didn't see it, I was to busy staring at the blonde in confusion.

"Then Surudoi." So that's what that kids name was,

"pushed me to the ground, then…. I didn't actually see Tamashi move, one minute she was to the side, the next she was between me and him. And fire was spreading from where she was before, after that everyone ran away, and we left when we saw shinobi running towards the fire that was still there. Then we went to the orphanage, and then we got brought here."

Silence is never more terrifying, than when your fate is in someone else's hands. As it was, I didn't really know this hokage, I knew the one that naruto called old man, that konohamaru called grandpa, not this war weary shinobi who probably had yet to gain the patience and tolerance that old age brought.

Then a man of nightmares walked in, Danzo. I could already feel myself getting angry, knowing just what this man was capable of doing, what he would do… if given the chance.

My hate for him only grew when he opened his mouth. "These two children are responsible for training ground seventeen? Sarutobi is this a joke? That one isn't even old enough to be in the academy, and the other barely has enough chakra to stay alive, what are you trying."

I could barely keep my temper down, it was bad enough that I was angry at him for something he hasn't done yet, but now he was calling Minato a joke? He won't be allowed to run free, not if I can help it.

"Danzo, the two chunin that put out the fire saw them running from the field, and reported the incident to me afterwards, they were there."

An arrogant sniff, "they were probably playing with matches when they shouldn't have, made a problem they couldn't handle, and ran when things got bad."

I was practically fuming now, Minato poked my arm, then pointed at my head. Oh yeah apparently my hair turned red when I was mad, and I guess the hokage noticed.

He held his hand up to silence Danzo, "so her hair does change, tell me, why is this?"

I looked at him and shrugged, I had an idea, an impossible idea, but I couldn't be sure.

"Then if your hair turns red when your mad, what has made you angry?"

I huff and look at Danzo,

"don't talk bad about Minato, he's the smartest person I know, and he's going to be the Hokage one day. He didn't start the fire, I don't know how it happened but I did it, so don't blame him."

The Bastard tsked and leaned down to talk closer to my face, "that boy will never become Hokage, there is no way someone like **him** could ever take the hat."

Welp, my self control just went flying out the window.

I snarled, actually snarled, and he backed up. I couldn't feel the heat, but I saw it, fire was coating my body, I held my arm closer to my face as if to check for burning, but nothing, I was completely untouched.

Everyone was moving around me, the Hokage stood at his desk staring, Danzo was half out the door eyes wide, and ANBU were surrounding me but not touching. Then there was Minato, slowly getting closer, with nothing but kindness in his eyes, I slowly calmed down, the fire going out when he touched my arm.

Then I was grabbed, Minato called out my name terror clear on his face, but whoever had me was already gone from the office. When my swirly vision finally settled, I was dropped in a grey room, turning around I saw the dark metal bars clearly built for a prison, with the door closing shut.

shit.

 **Namikaze Minato**

Why did this always happen to them, they were just training, nothing special. So why did they everyone always have to pick a fight. A boy several years older, Surudoi, if memory served correct, was leading the group of kids towards them.

Then came the name calling, Freak, oh how he hated that word, and they wouldn't stop. He tried to make things better, saying that the others could train with them if they wished, but it wasn't enough. Why couldn't it be enough.

A quick glance at Tamashi confirmed what he already knew, she was getting angry, her hair was already starting to turn red. It was probably because he was distracted, that he actually got shoved, or at least his distraction made him be caught off guard, which led to him falling.

Then it happened, it was as if she disappeared from one spot, and appeared in between him and Surudoi. And she was on fire, actually on fire, but she didn't seem bothered by it. Still on fire, she threatened the bullys to stay away, then watched as they ran back to the orphanage.

Then she looked at him, his shock obviously still on his face, because she turned away the fire covering her slowly going out. She didn't think he would hate her did she? Putting his hand on her shoulder, she turned to face him again, the relief clear in her eyes.

He promised her they would figure things out, and she agreed, then he saw the shinobi.

They were clearly running towards the fire, so he grabbed Tamashi and ran back to their home, worrying about the others who had a head start, they clearly weren't going to tell the truth.

He was right, if the murderous aura of the matron was anything to go by, as soon as they got close, she had a harsh grip on both their arms, and was dragging them into the orphanage. Surudoi and his group were waiting in the foyer, glares and sneers were thrown at them.

Then there was a knock at the door, which turned out to be a chunin scout looking for ninja hopeful wanting to go to the academy. This was their chance.

"We do,"

Minato spoke up when the question was asked, and he held his breath at the calculating gaze that followed.

"You're to young yet, but I'll put your name down to join later, and you girl…."

At that point Minato was worried, what about Tamashi? She could go to right?

The chunins next words shook him to his core, not enough chakra? But, that couldn't be.

Tamashi frozen stiff, was on the floor, he put his arm around her in comfort, then argued that the levels of a person's chakra didn't determine their ability as a ninja.

The ninja dismissed his words without a thought, then left, the matron, although less angry, said that they still had things to talk about.

Oh yeah, the training field, hearing Tamashi probably couldn't achieve her dream, almost made him forget.

Then came a second knock, this time it was an ANBU.

Both Minato and Tamashi were brought to Hokage-sama, and he was an intimidating man. They were immediately questioned in their involvement at training ground seventeen.

Tamashi went first, her explanation was simple, the kids approached them, called them names, he was pushed down, then the fire stuff happened. Minato guessed she didn't really know what happened then either.

Then it was his turn, he was more detailed, explaining how he could tell Tamashi was getting angry based on her hair, which got him looks from both the girl beside him and the Hokage. She didn't know?

Then came the part where she moved so fast he couldn't see her, and the fire, how they saw ninja coming, how they ran, and then how they were immediately summoned to his office.

The Hokage seemed to be deep in thought, not paying too much attention to them, then another person came in. He was tall, at least to him, and walked with the stride of a man of power. Tamashi apparently didn't like him, if the red of her roots was anything to go by. Has she met him before? Should he be worried?

His name was Danzo, one of the elders on the shinobi council, and he was calling them a joke. Now Minato wasn't someone to get mad easy, you can call him anything you want and it probably won't bother him, but if you insult his precious people, then you're going to have issues.

Tamashi, it turns, out was on the same page, her hair was going bright red, which the hokage noticed. He questioned her why, but she didn't know, then he asked about her anger. And Minato didn't think he's ever been so glad someone was his friend. She raged on the councilman, telling him how Minato was smart, that he was going to be the Hokage, and that the fire was her fault, even if she doesn't know how.

After her piece was said, the elder leaned down into her face, Minato wanted to rip him away, and keep him as far from Tamashi as he could.

And then Danzo insulted him, called him incapable of ever achieving his dream, right in front of Tamashi…. Oh no.

He didn't know if exploding was the right term to use, when describing how Tamashi was suddenly covered head to toe in flames, but it was pretty close.

One second she was normal, the next, fire coated her whole body, without burning her. It was beautiful, in a scary, fiery sort of way. Everyone else moved away from her, Danzo was partially out the door already, and the Hokage stood behind his desk, clearly alarmed.

Minato wasn't scared though, she wouldn't hurt him, so carefully, so as not to startle the ANBU that now surrounded them, he approached.

The fire felt warm on his hand, not burning, the heat curled around his palm as he reached for her arm, and when he made contact, the flames went out. She was looking at him now, fearful expression on her face, he only hoped his own was comforting.

The she was ripped from his grasp, dread and terror curled in his gut, they were taking her away? NO!

"TAMASHI!" he called.

But she was already gone.


	7. Origin of power

**Tamashi**

I walked around my small prison, imagining how much smaller it would feel if I was a fully grown adult. Every time I passed by the barred door, the more I accepted my current situation. It wasn't good.

I needed answers, they wanted answers, ones I didn't have. Yet. If my theory is true, then I have access to a lot of power, power that I didn't really want. But unless I wanted a yamanaka rooting through my head, I best figure things out on my own.

So I sat on the floor, the cold of the cement seeping into my legs, and delved into the labyrinth of my own mind. It was strange, closing your eyes, imagining going deep into your head, and actually seeing something besides the darkness closed eyelids bring.

What I expected to see was those sewer like halls, endless passageways that you could get lost in if you weren't careful. Instead, it was, cozy, instead of grey walls, soft creams surrounded me. Fuzzy carpet cradled my feet, warm air caressed my… nude form. What the hell?

A quick look confirmed it, I was bare ass naked. They sure didn't show THIS in the anime, but oh well, I was only in my mind. So I walked forward, following a seemingly random route, yet there was a purpose to my stride that I didn't understand, almost like my body was moving on its own.

Then I came upon a large room, with seven individuals standing about. And… I knew them, although I've never actually seen them before, I knew them. I really wish I didn't, desired it with all my heart, but here comes life again, with a brick to face senario.

All the people in the room were beautiful, both males and females, had an almost unearthly beauty about them, like they weren't quite human.

" _Technically we aren't, but you knew that already didn't you... Kalyn_ "

No, no this can't be happening, I had started over, EVERYTHING had started over the moment I was reborn.

" _And yet here we are, all standing before each other_."

Stop.

" _There is no point in denying what is here before your eyes_."

Please. Stop.

" _You must accept what is, and move on_."

I couldn't handle this, not right now.

"ENOUGH! This shouldn't be possible. YOU shouldn't be possible"

A, sad, look, crossed the speakers face, MY old face, the one I had before being reborn, the face behind my soul.

" _I am your soul, you know this._ "

Angry, I was angry, angry at the universe for not letting me catch a break even once. I thought I could start over, have a fresh chance at life, but no, I was cursed to bear the burdens of my past for the rest of my existence.

" _It is not a burden, you are stronger now then you have ever been before."_

I could feel the tears of frustration threatening to fall.

"It was always a burden, one I had actually hoped to leave behind"

A shake of the head, " _you accepted once that you would never be free, that you had changed forever."_

Forever ended when I died, I was supposed to be free from that heavy weight. Guess not.

" _Why are you having such difficulty accepting what is laid before you, why do you refuse the power you yourself have made?"_

Seriously?

"I made you, when I was eighteen to deal with the depression I'd fought with since I was thirteen years old. I split my very soul because you were supposed to help me cope, so I could deal with life without being overwhelmed by my emotions. But here's the thing, you were made up, fake, a short term solution. I can't just accept this because you were imaginary, a fantasy, something I pretended to make my life better."

I was breathing hard now, cheeks wet from escaped tears.

" _We were meant to protect you, make your life easier to bear, to ensure your survival, and yet you still died."_

Are you kidding me? "Yes I died, but it was a freak accident, the fault of bullshit road conditions created by canadian winter. Heavy semi-trucks and ice don't mix well together. My death was not caused by my own hand, I remained strong till the end"

Silence, for the first time in… forever, my head was silent.

" _You still died-"_ "IT WASN'T MY FAULT, NOTHING COULD HAVE PREVENTED IT!"

She sighed, can souls even sigh?

" _The universe doesn't see it that way, nore does it care, you died, you died while you were in pain. You had altered your very way of thinking to accept us as a part of your life, even though you knew full well we were nothing more than a figment of your imagination. So when the universe looked at your life, and saw what you drew strength from, it made it reality, you were not meant to suffer, you were made to thrive."_

I didn't want this, this memory, memory of every hurt I endured alone, crying in my room because I couldn't share my pain with my family, because they just didn't understand. I had been free, living at the orphanage without a real care in the world, being with Minato, all the old suffering I had once endured was forgotten.

" _You cannot change what has already been done, cannot give back the power you've had since before you were even born."_

Before? Oh, the dreams, the ones I've been having since I was three, they were memories. And sakumo, he was probably there when whatever I was remembering happened. I had been using my soul since birth, and I didn't even know it.

The sensing, I wasn't sensing his chakra, I was sensing his soul, the dreams were a memory, one that he was a part of, so he knows what happened.

"I can't, I can't just accept this"

Another sigh.

" _You created us, you know what we are capable of, but until you accept what is, you will never reach your true strength. But you knew that already, as you know we shall wait, for however long it takes for you to be ready. We will wait."_

I know, deep down I knew all of this, it just, doesn't feel real.

Estel, Balthazar, Farin, Kevin, Trevor, Bohemium, and Serena.

My strength, Fear, Anger, Sadness, Pain, and Hate respectively, and then Serena, my core soul, that which is an even mix of all the others. The biggest piece that defines who I am.

This is to much, I'm not ready.

" _We know, but we will not forsake you, until you are truly ready to bear the full weight of your power, take only a fraction. Be strong, and one day you can stand on your own feet unhindered by your past, but until then, hold fast, be wary, and learn to accept the help of those around you."_

Do such deep words count if you're saying them to yourself? Oh well.

When opened my eyes again, I met with an unhappy sight. Danzo was waiting for me outside my cell. Fuck.

"Well young one, you certainly took your time acknowledging me."

I kept quiet, I really didn't have the mental energy to deal with this right now, especially not after they emotional bomb drop.

"Do you want to leave?"

I only raised an eyebrow, "has the Hokage given you permission to release me from this cell?"

That twisted smirk only spells trouble. "I have the authority to take promising individuals from anywhere I wish, so long as they are worth the time and effort of course."

So, recruitment, no matter where a person is from, if they impress Danzo in some way, he can take them under him, and their record is wiped clean. Or wiped completely, so completely that it's gone, destroyed, non-existent, that person officially doesn't exist anymore. I guess he took my silence as curiosity.

"Where do you see yourself in the future?" he questioned. "Beside that boy, Minato, was it?"

It wasn't really a question, he already knew, "I can guarantee you a chance to stay close to him, in a few years of course, someone with your…. Limitations, require extra effort to bring up to par."

So, in exchange for selling myself to be one of his grunts, he promises strength?

Then something happened, I guess now that I'm actually aware of where my power comes from, I can access it easier or something? Either way, focusing on Danzo lets me see something that is a lot more unnerving than I thought it would be. His greed, his soul was filled with it, so much so that it was oozing into the air around him. This is bad, he HAS to be stopped if I want to stand even a remote chance at changing fate, but I can't do that now, not alone… not yet.

He thought I was seriously thinking about it, if the smugness he gave off was anything to go by.

"If you wish to succeed on the path of the shinobi, escape from this place, come find me, and I can give you the strength you desire."

Hah, uh no, dude you're literally the utter definition of slimy bastard, orochimaru is better than you, I mean sure, he kidnapped children as well as his fellow shinobi for experimentation, but at least he was forward about it. Didn't try to hide, or make himself NOT seem like a sick twisted fuck.

But enough of that, this little shit stick thinks he has me in his web, well, he is in for a big surprise.

He wants me to come find him? We best get comfy then, because as much as this sucks, I'd rather rot in a jail cell then work for him.

Oh look, here comes some ANBU, and the Hokage, and….. A yamanaka…

Well shit.

 **Hatake Sakumo**

Five and a half years, it took five and a half years for that decision to come back and bite him in the ass. He wasn't even ten feet in the village when an ANBU told him he was summoned to the Hokage.

When he body flickered inside, he was greeted to the sight of the head of TI, a fresh squad of ANBU, and the head of the Yamanaka clan. What the actual hell was going on.

"Ah, Sakumo, we have a slight issue that you might be able to help us with."

Well, that was never good.

"You see, the abandoned child you brought to konoha, five years ago, has, how should I put this, caused some… problems."

The squirt? What could she have possibly done to warrant this kind of group gathering.

"By the confusion on your face, you were unaware of her.. Abilities."

The hell? She barely has enough chakra to keep breathing, she shouldn't have any abilities.

"Still confused? Well allow me to bring you up to speed, she as well as Namikaze Minato."

Speedy little shit? How was he involved?

"Started a fire in training ground seventeen."

That makes no sense.

"However this fire was not made by matches… or jutsu."

Now, now things are starting to sound weird, what else do two five and a half year olds have access to, that could start a fire, which would cause the Hokage to be concerned. He would have understood, if the speedy little shit tried a jutsu that got out of control, but what else could have happened to bring the TI director out of his dungeon?

"Apparently the young Tamashi can coat herself with fire,"

Okay, what the actual fuck.

"Fire that is self sustaining, without any need of chakra."

Now he knows what the sadist and yamanaka are doing here, this is a whole new kind of weird.

"And as for how you can assist, would you kindly tell us everything you know about the girl? And I mean, EVERYTHING."

Ohhhh boy, he knew he should have walked away all those years ago, but nooooooo, he had to listen to his bleeding heart and take the helpless infant home.

"Um, yeah, so, funny thing."

Someone, as powerful as the Hokage, glaring down at you, really makes a person feel small. And stupid, and that really makes you regret impulsive life decisions.

"The report I gave five years ago was accurate, I just, left out some details."

Yup, definitely regretting things now.

"Then how about you tell me again, properly, without missing anything this time, hmm?"

Ahh, this is definitely going on my list for dumbest decisions I've made in my life.

"Of course, Hokage-sama. I was returning from my mission in Iwa, infiltration and information gathering. I was on course for konoha, when I heard a sounds of a fight happening in close proximity to my location. Believing there was a chance that leaf shinobi were engaged in combat, I altered my course to potentially assist, and offer relief."

I felt like a genin again, giving his first oral mission report.

"When I arrived at the scene, there was a one sided conflict, of Iwa shinobi, attacking an… orb."

The raised eyebrow, it's the raised eyebrow of judgment, the one he gives if he thinks you sound stupid. Fuuuuuuuuck this is not going well.

"I could tell they wanted whatever was inside, due to their continuous attacks, even though it was clear no damage was being dealt to the… orb."

Hearing myself say this out loud, makes it sound worse than when I thought it in my head… please kill me, like now.

"I made the decision that they shouldn't get whatever was inside, so I intervened. Shortly after my involvement, the enemy nin were dead, and the, orb, dissipated. Inside was a woman, she was clearly dying."

Everyone was staring at me now, this is just fabulous, I hope they put nice flowers on my grave.

"She told me a name, Tamashi, claimed there was no father to be had, and begged me to take her child somewhere safe."

No need to mention she was an Iwa-nin herself.

"She was dead before I had a chance to tell her yes or no. I couldn't leave the child so I brought her back with me, I left seals at the makeshift grave to tell if anyone would come looking for the woman, or the child, or at least their bodies. But there has been no activity in five and a half years. Whatever power Tamashi has, it belongs to konoha now."

There, hopefully that's enough, both for myself, and for the squirt… wherever she is.

"Very well, we shall see what this power fully entails"

SAFE! Well now that we're on the topic.

"Hokage-sama, I have a request." and that eyebrow went straight back up.

"And what might that be?"

Good no dismissal, I still have a chance.

"I would like to take Tamashi as my apprentice, either straight out of the academy, or after she has the chance to experience being on a genin team."

Shock, he's actually shocked.

"She has no chakra, how do you expect her to even partake in the academy?"

Why is it always back to the chakra?

"I don't care about that, and she has shown me intelligence and skills that would allow her to go far on the path of shinobi, if only she is given a chance."

He seems to think about it, seems to think real hard.

"We shall see, there are too many unknowns we must clear up before there is any solid decisions to be made, dismissed."

Well, he didn't say no, and I'm still okay, besides the mental trauma that whole event caused, I'd say this was a win.

Now if only the lovely Inuzuka Hageshi would agree to go on a date, that would make his day complete.


	8. accepting the cost

Note: " **this is a mental conversation**

 **Tamashi**

I think it's a required trait, in order to be Hokage, that you can stare anyone down without flinching, and no matter who they are, they feel small. Because even though I'm already only like, half his height, I feel _tiny_. Then again I did almost set his office on fire, but I'm also a kid so… actually I wonder how the adults feel, the ones who he doesn't care to show mercy to, because they _are_ grown ups who can handle it. That's a terrifying thought.

But those random adults don't matter right now, because he's not staring at them, his unrelenting gaze is focused, right on me. There are other people here too of course, some ANBU, a man dressed in too much black, and another who could only be a Yamanaka.

I'm actually screwed, they're going to look in my head, see everything, and I was either going to be deemed insane, be mentally dissected for every scrap of information I have, or worst possible scenario, they wouldn't believe I was actually a kid, they would think I was actually twenty again and infiltrating the village disguised as a child. That last one, would probably be means for execution.

Oh god, what about Minato, last he saw of me, I was being ripped away by an ANBU. He looked terrified, but, what if that was the last time I saw HIM. I don't know what's worse, dying before seeing him again, or living separated, with our final memories together, being moments of fear and loss.

Oh, we're talking now. "We seem to have a dilemma, young one, you are causing many questions, without answers, to come about."

Okay, breath, in and out, in and out, in and no, there really is no way to prepare yourself for this kind of thing, I'm going to have to face this head on.

"Well, do you have anything to say?"

I stayed silent, staring at the wall behind his head. Good plan.

"BRAT! You will answer when the honorable Hokage speaks to you" man in black yells, while smashing his fist against the bars. He is so good with children.

"Settle down director, she's probably scared, she was, after all, just dumped in this cell without any real explanation."

Go Yamanaka, even though you're about to dive headlong into my mind without my consent, go you.

"Do not be afraid child." easy for you to say. "But we need to understand just how your… feelings, trigger whatever power you showed in my office."

Well that's a way to dumb it down, but now those ANBU who have been quiet the whole time, are coming towards me, and there is not much room to back up.I probably looked like a cornered animal, I felt like one too, almost plastered against a wall, with no escape.

"Please, please stop, don't do this, don't hurt me, please!"

I felt like crying, and honestly, I could, and no one would bat an eye, to them, I was just a scared little girl who didn't know what was happening. I think the worst part of this, is the fact that that IS what they see, and yet they are still going to go through with it.

"Hokage-sama, were her eyes not brown before?"

What?

The question that everyone was probably thinking right now, what was going on with my eyes?

" **Concentrate, you know what is happening.** "

Ooookay, disembodied voices, those are a thing

" **Expect more 'disembodied voices' from now on, since your powers have started to truly awaken, your souls will be more active."**

Great, I'm just going to pretend that didn't happen for a moment. Now, what's going on, everyone is staring at me, or staring at my eyes at least. That one guy said my eyes aren't brown anymore, so there's that.

" **Concentrate** " I AM,

Wait, my power is heavily associated with my emotions, and I'm feeling a shit ton of terror right now, Balthazar, my fear, my shield. Now that I think about it, my dreams have a lot of yellow in it, whatever was happening back then I was terrified, enough that balthazar took action on his own, to keep me safe….. And on that note, I realized that not only did I have way too much time in my old life, to be naming the pieces of my soul, but I essentially took a page from voldemort's book when it comes to solving my issues.

Back on topic, I'm scared enough that Balthazar is taking action… and now I realize that it is really not a good idea to get distracted when your surrounded by ninja. Because not only do they have me in their grasp, but my feet are not even touching the ground. _Shit._

I'm taken down corridors that I have no hope of memorising, passing door after door, this place is honestly a maze, but it's a maze that my captors know well. We stopped before one of those many doors, and I could only stiffen, because as it opened I got a better view of inside the room.

A large, contraption, sat in the middle of the floor, and I was headed straight for it. The ANBU holding me, sat me inside it, on the chair within the thing, Yamanaka- whoever, closed it around me, and put the brain squeezing helmet on my head.

"It won't hurt, I promise, it'll be over soon, and then you can go back to your friend. Okay?"

I found it rather difficult to talk, in an effort to distract myself from the inevitable, I was wondering how he would react to not only seeing my "mind me" naked as the day I was born. But how would he react to the seven, seemingly separate, souls that resided in my mind. Maybe he would think I'm schizophrenic, then the first scenario would be acceptable, and Minato can visit me in the psych ward. Mentally crossing fingers for that.

"I'm prepared to begin Hokage-sama. Director-san, are you prepared for secondary analysis?"

I couldn't turn my head at all to see the director guy, but the Hokage just solemnly nodded, so I guess this show is on the road. Goodbye outdoors, it was nice seeing you...

Sweet lord, I have a terrible sense of humor, it's almost as bad as that one friend I had in my old life, the one who cracked a joke, right after she heard a person she vaguely knew died.

"Hokage-sama, we… seem to have hit a wall."

Eh?

"Do you perhaps need a break, Yamanaka-san?"

I daresay he looked sheepish. "No, Hokage-sama, I mean, we literally hit a wall, an actual wall in her mind, it's a mental block. I am unable to get past it."

Oh Balthazar, I love you. My shield must be able to withstand both physical, and mental attacks. I wonder what would happen in a genjutsu, or if I looked into an uchiha's sharingan.

Anyway.

The Hokage's attention was back on me, "do you have anything to say now?"

I actually looked back at him this time, "please let me out of this Hokage-sama, I will try to explain what I discovered to the best of my ability."

Most of the people present, seemed surprised by my mature way of speaking. I wanted to grin as the contraption was moved away from me, and I was lifted out. I was that small compared to the monstrosity. But as Serena suggested, I held fast.

"To my understanding, Hokage-sama, the reason my emotions affect my abilities so drastically, is because my power, comes from my soul. And as emotions run so deep, the more I feel, the more my power reacts."

It's actually hard to describe how this works, without going into an hour long explanation, to people who have no idea what's going on in the first place. And I really want to go back to Minato and act like this shit never happened.

" **Those who forget the past, are doomed to repeat it** " dammit, I hate it when I'm right.

"And how did you come to this conclusion?" my beloved leader asked.

If I remember correctly, part of the reason my eyes change color, when balthazar is active, is to unnerve whatever has caused my fear, so I'm looking right at him.

"It's amazing, Hokage-sama." I say his title respectfully, but everyone there can just feel the mocking undertone.

"What a person can discover about themselves, when they are dumped in a tiny cell, alone, with nothing to do but think."

He actually seems alarmed, whether by my actual words, or the cold tone I delivered them with. In fact, aside from the ANBU, because of their masks, everyone looked disturbed.

"I would have come to you anyway, to tell you what I learned over time, but now I don't know what I should do."

That alarmed face got worse, "what do you mean by this?"

Your on a roll, don't back of now.

"From what I gathered, my powers are just awakening, what I've shown isn't all I can do, I will get stronger as time passes."

Still alarmed, but curious now too. "What do you mean by this? How do you know you will get stronger than you already are?"

This is going to be the hard part, "it's all about accepting everything my power comes with, I can't handle the burden yet, I only have a fraction of my full potential strength."

Okay, let's see how he handles that, "perhaps training could speed up this process? You have already proven that you have greater intelligence, than what many children your age are capable of, if we found you a suitable teacher now, in a few years time."

I had to stand my ground, "no."

I don't actually think anyone has properly told the Hokage no, he is sure is surprised enough.

"Why do you say no? Do you not want the training? I was under the impression you desired to become a shinobi of the leaf."

Cunning bastard, "I say no, because although training would help to an extent, my progress in strength ultimately falls to me. I decide how fast I grow stronger, no one else can judge that."

I think they realize I'm not an average kid, one who would jump through hoops to get a teacher this early. "Why do you, a child not even six years old, have better judgement on progress, than a seasoned shinobi?"

Now for the really REALLY hard part. "Because a six year old should not be afraid to die."

Yup, there are the looks, I was waiting for those. "As a shinobi you must be able to accept that death could take you at any time, in the past, children your age, or even younger, were sent to a war front solely because it was necessary."

I just KNEW he was going to say that, "the moment I decided I wanted to be a shinobi, I knew that, but this is different."

He must raise that eyebrow a lot, the movement is to practiced. "How so?"

Here we go, "my power is based off of my emotions, specifically, my fear, anger, which you saw, sadness, pain, hate, and finally strength. Many of those named, if overwhelming, can be dangerous for mental stability. And that's the statistics for a normal person"

Big words, hear my big words and be amazed,

"To use my abilities, I have to feel those emotions strongly, much more so then normal and I can't handle the mental and emotional cost it would take to use the... advanced forms right now."

Understanding seemed to dawn on the Hokage's face, he's getting it.

"No one can judge what I'm capable of handling, mentally and emotionally, better than me, so no matter what kind of impressive sensei you throw at me, if they try to push me to hard, to fast, then I'm going to burn out. When that happens, I'm useless,"

Oh, I can tell he doesn't want that,

" three of the emotions I named, were fear, sadness and pain, those are, dangerous, in the long term on a regular basis. If I attempt to use too much power before I'm ready, I will be overwhelmed to the point where I won't feel anything else, and you've probably seen what happens to someone who is overcome with fear from killing intent. Or if someone is drowning in sadness, or pain, whether emotional or physical, the result is most likely the same. Death."

I think he gets it now, but just to be sure,

"So unless you only want to have my abilities be useful for a VERY short time, then I guess I have to listen and start training, but, if I'm allowed to move at my own pace, then the greatest strength I am capable of, will be of use to the village for a much longer period of time."

Please please please please listen.

"You are quiet advanced for someone your age, you understand that everyone has limitations, and will not try to push yourself past them before you are capable of handling the strain. Given the fact that you are more aware of your power than anyone, I have no choice but to accept your words. I do hope you will inform me of your progress, as it is made."

Oh boy, that wasn't really a silent threat, but he is not exactly happy either. I need to tread very carefully from now on, but for now this ordeal is over. Then his hand went on my shoulder, the world went swirly, we were back in the Hokage's office. He moved behind his desk and sat down, then took a blank paper and started to write.

"As it is, I believe the best start to your training will be the academy, would you like to attend?"

Okay cooler waters now, "yes, but I would like to stay with Minato, he, helps me. Calms me down before things really get out of hand. I'll join when he does... officially."

He seems to accept my reasoning, and raises that eyebrow at the last bit. "Officially?"

Que my sheepish look. "If it wasn't obvious, I really don't have that much chakra, the reason being, chakra would get in the way of my other power. So I only have what is necessary to survive."

Makes sense, "I can hide my levels by constantly suppressing them, so no one actually knows how little I have, but I need help fitting in with my other abilities, they aren't exactly normal."

He seems to think for a moment, "is it possible your abilities are a bloodline?"

I shrug, but honestly I don't think it would be, or maybe my powers will be passed onto my kids?

"In truth I don't know, I have no family, I don't know if I got them from my parents, and we wouldn't know if they get passed on till I have kids. But that is a LONG ways away."

More thinking, "possibly first generation then, perhaps we could get the assistance of the uchiha, see if they are incapable of copying your skills, then if the question is asked we have an excuse."

Reasonable, so I nod. "And if necessary, we can offer them bragging rights, over the hyuuga, on either being first to discover a new bloodline, or at the very least digging up a long unknown one."

The hokage paused in his writing and gave a long look, before shaking his head with a small smile. "You are very shrewd, but why do you wish to hide your abilities from the public?"

Minato said once, when we first started our hunting of sakumo together, on that street outside the orphanage, the grin I had, was downright predatory. Apparently the Hokage would agree.

"I want to be a shinobi, Hokage-sama, a real shinobi. Not just someone who is skilled and powerful, I want to fight from the shadows, I don't want my enemies to know what hit them till its too late. If they think they're fighting and average ninja, then they'll prepare for that, they can't stop what they don't know to plan for in the first place."

I think I scared him a little, he definitely looks uncomfortable, then again I AM supposed to be five and a half. However he should have realized I wasn't normal, when I first opened my mouth on why training to soon was a bad idea.

"So you are requesting a teacher, to help you, blend in?"

Yup, thats the jist of it, so I nod. He sighs.

"Alright, that seems acceptable."

YES!

"For now, return to your home, find that friend of yours, and please, try to stay out of trouble."

I bowed quickly, and ran out the door, into the streets, and all the way to the orphanage. Which was quite a distance, and I almost regret doing it.

Then I heard a loud call of "TAMASHI!" followed by me being tackled to the ground.

Minato, oh Minato, he was worried, badly if the incomprehensible muttering in both english and japanese were anything to go by. And… yeah, his soul is filled with relief.

It's good to be home.

 **Namikaze Minato**

Minato couldn't react, not when tamashi was grabbed by the ANBU, not when another gripped his own shoulder, and brought him back to the entrance of the Hokage's tower, with clear instructions to go home.

'But home was still here' he thought, the guard however, was not something he could get passed, so he had no choice but to leave.

He had to be faster next time, if there was a next time, he really hoped not. At the very least, he had to be fast enough to go with her, she shouldn't have to face whatever this is alone. He promised her they would figure things out, together, and here he was, alone, walking back to the orphanage, without her. Damn it!

Minato hoped she wasn't scared, but even he knew that was just wishful thinking. The look she gave him when she was grabbed, a shudder crawled up his spine. He never wanted to see that expression. He made a silent promise to himself, if he could help it, she would never have to make that face, EVER again.

But that didn't solve his current issue, Tamashi was somewhere he couldn't get to, and he had no way of finding out when she would be back.

But someone of higher rank might… the ANBU, the one Minato and Tamashi had been hunting, for months, granted it they always failed, but that didn't mean they didn't learn. If he could find the ANBU now, maybe, just maybe he could find out some information.

And so he began. Searching all the places they discovered he liked to frequient. He even tried sensing for him, a skill he found interest in after asking how tamashi alway seemed to just know where the elusive ANBU was, but no luck. He was already exhausted from running around konoha, now he just didn't have the mental energy, to concentrate on that one signature among many.

He refused to quit though, so after a quick breather, he prepared to start running again. Only to stop short, because low and behold, there he was, the ANBU that avoided them for months, avoided Tamashi, for years. Just standing in the street, like he didn't have a problem in the world.

Oh. was he was going to have a problem now.

As if he were the wind itself, minato practically flew down the street, avoiding civilians and shinobi alike, and LATCHING onto the man's leg, holding on with both arms and legs like his life depended on it.

A muffled "what the" was heard, before a loud and obnoxious groan, then a "damn", followed by,

"what do you want kid. I'm kinda busy right now."

Minato reasoned, after the third 'what?', that if he wanted to tell the ANBU anything, then he really should get his face out of the pant leg.

"I want to know what's happening with tamashi."

A sigh was his only response, before hands, much stronger than minato, pried his arms from around the ANBU's leg.

"Look kid, they are just figuring things out so she doesn't accidentally hurt someone, so they know what to do, in case her weird powers get out of control. She's going to be fine, in fact,"

The man paused. "I'd say she's already on her way back to the orphanage by now, if your quick, you might catch her."

That caught his attention, so the moment the ANBU let his arm go, he was off. Back towards Tamashi, back towards home.

And when he saw her, standing before the old building, Minato couldn't move fast enough, he called out her name and next thing he knew, they were both crashing to the ground, him trying to say as fast as he could, in whatever language he knew she would understand, that he missed her, how he was sorry he wasn't faster, how he will do better next time.

She just hugged him back.

 **Hatake Sakumo**

He has to give it to that speedy little shit, not only did he run rampant around konoha, probably looking for him, if the places the brat looked were anything to go by, but he caught sakumo off guard.

He knew the kid saw him, hell, he LET the kid see him, what he wasn't expecting, was the sheer speed the brat moved at, to get to him.

And then he had a leech, the size of a small child, attached to his leg, and honestly if the kid held on any tighter, he would lose blood circulation in that limb.

The brat said somthing, but sakumo couldnt hear.

After the third 'what,' the boy realized that he needed to speak to the air, and not his ANBU pants. Ah, he wants information, smart kid, going after a higher rank, and sakumo guessed he was in a good mood today, so he would give him something.

So he pried the blond away, told him they were just figuring things out for safety reasons, and a quick check confirmed, she was already on her way back to the orphanage.

Upon release, the boy became nothing more than a yellow blur, racing in the direction of the orphanage.

Yeah, sakumo mused, this was a good day.


	9. Training

Tamashi

I was determined to keep out of the Hokage's line of sight, I really was, but it's kind of hard to do that when the man you're trying to avoid, has the authority to summon you at will, and continuously does so. I told minato to wait for me, and that we could go for ramen when I got back.

"why are you here, Tamashi?"

The wise and benevolent hokage asked, rhetorically.

"I'm here, because you asked me to be… Hokage-sama"

He leveled me with a cold stare, he still wasn't happy about last months encounter.

"You are here, because a clan head of konoha, one of my top interrogators, is rocking back and forth, in the fetal position, in his own bathtub, to scared to come in for work."

Wow, uh, yeah, really wasn't expecting that.

"You were the last person he had been in contact with, on the mental front, before he essentially had a breakdown a week ago."

Oh, okay so maybe I did have something to do with this, ever since I had my 'awakening', minato and I have been exploring my newfound abilities, and, I've been remembering what my souls were supposed to do.

"If I truly was the last one he touched with his mind… then I might know whats wrong, it has to do with one of my souls."

That practiced eyebrow lift, along with a 'go on' movement spurs me into my spiel.

"After doing some deep meditation, this is only the second time so far, the first time being… a month ago… anyway, I've gathered that my powers aren't really meant for battle advantage."

He seems genuinely curious now. "When did you discover this?"

I mutter a sheepish 'two days ago'. He sighs and tells me to continue.

"Unlike the Uchiha, or Hyuuga, whose bloodlines give them an advantage on the fighting front. My powers are more tailored for survival, my survival specifically. If I use them correctly, my abilities can benefit others, but at their core, keeping me alive is their sole purpose."

He has an 'ah' moment.

"And how do emotions factor into this?"

How to word this…

"It boils down to survival again, because of my power, I feel my emotions at a deeper and stronger level than others, but to much of anything is dangerous. Which is why, when I, say, get to angry, I release fire. My powers are keeping my anger from overwhelming me by giving off the excess in the form of flames."

He nods again, then gives me a pointed look, "that is impressive. But what does this have to do with the head of the Yamanaka clan."

Right, that, "it's because I was afraid, that time, I was experiencing so much fear, that my soul became active on its own. To protect me."

He sits up straighter, "I understand that the circumstance was stressful, but that does not sanction an attack against a citizen of the leaf."

Aren't I one too? Wait, attack?

"I didn't attack Yamanaka-san,"

Oh, he looks mad, "the fully grown man crying in a bathtub says otherwise."

I almost can't take him seriously when he says that, but at the same time…

"It's because he directly touched my soul, that mental barrier, while I was experiencing utter fear. My powers are designed for survival, and my bare soul can't really tell friend from foe. Unless I have a deep connection with the person, my soul will simply see it as a risk towards my continued survival. Then it will take action, to ensure the threat is removed, and that removal might be, to make sure the 'threat' can never hurt me again."

That's a scary look, "so, because you were scared, your soul was actively looking for a threat, and perceived Yamanaka-san's mind jutsu as a risk to your safety. And now, to ensure you can never be hurt again, your soul is destroying his mind?"

Yup, terrifying. "If I can see yamanaka-san, I can help him."

The relief is clear on his face, but then he goes cold again, "why must you see him?"

To take back the piece of my soul that's currently trying to make scrambled eggs with his brain of course, but let's not go into the gory details.

"To ensure the threat can't hurt me again, a mark is left, a mark that only leaves when said threat is nullified. I need to remove the mark imprinted on Yamanaka's soul, because otherwise he will be driven insane from my fear."

If he looked mad before, he is absolutely livid now.

"The head of the yamanaka clan is a battle hardened shinobi, do you honestly think I believe he can be driven to insanity, by the fear of a child not even in the academy!"

He was yelling by the end, I don't like it when he yells.

"He isn't taking my fear at his level, he's taking it at mine."

The harsh EXPLAIN NOW was to be expected.

"I only have so much experience being afraid of things, Yamanaka-san is as you said, an experienced shinobi. So really anything that might scare me, shouldn't phase him, but right now, he is experiencing my fear the way I feel it. To me, anything scary can be terrifying, even if he could brush it off normally, I can't. The reason he is going crazy is because he is constantly feeling fear with my level of tolerance, which is to say, non-existent right now. And I was fully terrified when he touched my soul, so he's feeling the full force of that."

The calm but cold face of the hokage, is not one I want directed at me ever again, it's the kind of face you save for facing enemies.

"You will assist yamanaka-san immediately, under my direct supervision."

It's like he doesn't trust me, "of course, Hokage-sama"

The tight grip on my shoulder, as we body flickered to the yamanaka compound, told me my meeting with the hokage wasn't over. I really should have believed it, when the HOKAGE of all people, told me there was a grown man crying in a bathtub, but to actually see it…. It was hard to swallow.

The clan head went deathly pale when he saw me, would have run too, if the commanding voice of the hokage didn't force him to stay. He twitched as my hand got closer to his chest, where I felt a piece of my soul, firmly planted in his heart. Balthazar was brutal.

Upon removal, the color returned to his face, he was silent for a moment, till he thanked the hokage, and promised to return to work the next day. Ouch.

Getting back to his office, the hokage got straight down to business. "Instead of starting your extra training when you get into the academy, you will begin now. To avoid any more risk towards the citizens of the leaf."

It's almost like I'm not one of those citizens. "Hokage-sama, won't people think you're showing favoritism by supplying me with extra training?"

He levels me with a hard stare. "If anyone asks, its for safety reasons. I will not have a repeat of this situation."

He's… actually really mad at me, I know I'm mentally twenty five now, but even with the level of maturity I've shown so far, doesn't he still see me as a kid who made a mistake?

"If I say that then people will know something's up, that I have some dangerous ability that needs to be trained from early on, I'll lose the unknown element about my powers, which destroys the advantage of surprise for later."

His face doesn't change. "If that is the case, then so be it, I must protect the people."

That's it, "aren't I one of the people? If I draw too much attention to myself now, then enemies might try to take me out, before I have a chance to properly learn to use my powers. Don't I fall under the protection of being a citizen of the leaf?"

Even though his physical expression remains constant, I feel as if he's looking down on me more than before.

"You are not the only person in the leaf, in fact, you have a far better chance of surviving, long past the general life expectancy of a shinobi. I cannot cater to your needs alone, I have an entire village to look out for. If you pose a threat to the majority of the populace, then I cannot ignore that. I am trying to help both sides of this situation, you will receive training now to ensure you are capable of attending the academy, without hurting anyone, intentional or not. If yamanaka-san is what happens to a seasoned shinobi, then I don't want to see what happens to a untrained child."

I guess I was being selfish, of course he has to think of the whole village. Just because I'm a little different, stronger, doesn't mean I deserve special treatment. And I do need help, my training with minato is not going to prepare me for the academy. I know minato, I won't know the kids, and if get overwhelmed, and Balthazar acts up. A shudder goes up my spine.

"I understand Hokage-sama. Please forgive me for being selfish and ignorant."

I say with a deep bow, when I right myself, his expression has softened.

"You are still a child, no matter how advanced you may be. However, you hold a dangerous power, one that can incapacitate a strong ninja with a touch, you MUST be trained and prepared, even if it does take away the secrecy of your abilities. No matter what you might want, as Hokage, I must ensure that ALL of my people remain safe. And so this is the path I am deciding to follow, if it helps, I will inform your new sensei that you wish to remain discreet with your training."

I guess that's the best I can ask for. But it appears he's not done.

"You will begin your training tomorrow afternoon, and your friend, the young Namikaze, is not allowed to participate. It is meant for you and you alone, I won't have your teacher dividing their attention on multiple students. The reason for this training is to ensure you have control over your powers before you enter the academy, not to give you and him an advantage over the other students."

Minato can't join? "Can he watch? Or could I tell him what I learned?"

The Hokage huffs a laugh.

"I can't stop him from watching, if I'm correct, the training you two have done so far, is based off of what you watched others do,"

Cue my horrendous blush. "And what you do in your free time after training, is up to you."

Okay, so he can watch, and we can practice together afterwards, good.

"Um, Hokage-sama, who is going to be my teacher?"

There was a slightly mocking smile on his face now. "Someone you have quite a bit of experience with."

He made a hand sign, and there he was, the elusive ANBU, Hatake Sakumo.

I punched him.

 **Hatake Sakumo**

Things were going great, he finally got a date with the gorgeous Inuzuka. He has locked in his apprenticeship claim with for Tamashi, and he is on leave from ANBU for the next two months.

He can almost feel, deep down, that something is going to go wrong. He heard what happened to Yamanaka inoka, a deep set trauma with unknown cause, slowly driving him to the brink of insanity. He shudders at the memory, it started with paranoia, common among shinobi, till it escalated to the point where he couldn't go on proper missions, at least not without being a detection risk, then his wife reported that he hasn't been sleeping, which, when everything added up, ended in a mental breakdown.

Sakumo was a little worried about their kid, inoichi, the shrimp would be starting the academy in a few months, and he saw everything. What would it do to the child mentally, not to mention the emotional repercussions, watching your father, the strongest man any son or daughter knew, a shinobi at that, slowly go insane from an unknown cause. Most passed it off as a work hazard, the job was just getting to him.

But now it was over, inoka made a full recovery, granted he was keeping the reason behind his breakdown a secret, but if he was stable enough for missions, that was good enough. He saw the summoning bird of the hokage flying over head, it flew low, circled him twice, then was gone.

Well, if anything was going to ruin his day, it was going to start now. He body flickered into his leaders office, and saw his little squirt. Okay, not bad, but the serious look on the Hokage's face means things are not good either.

Then the brat punched him, and it actually hurt.


	10. The academy

**Tamashi**

Sometimes it takes a while, to actually know just how badly you screwed up. For me, it was only a day, but that day it hit me, it hit hard, enough that I knew things would never truly be the same. Sakumo asked me, the day after my meeting in the Hokage tower, just why the sandime wanted me trained so badly. So I told him, and I watched his cheerful face, morph into something of harsh focus. When he spoke again, his voice was different, not that light cheerful tone, but a serious one that is probably saved for ANBU.

"So you're dangerous" he said

I could only nod, it really starting to settle in that I WAS in fact dangerous to people, that if I didn't want to hurt my comrades, I needed proper control.

"Alright, the Hokage briefed me on your known abilities, so we can work from there. First things first, your shield thing is currently the biggest threat to your classmates. So we need to bring you to a level that will ensure you won't be afraid if you fight with them during class. Most would call this cheating, but it can't be helped. Show me what you know."

Perhaps he sensed my unease, but his voice was lighter at the end, there was still a guarded sound to it of course, so I knew things weren't truly okay. I wonder if he knew the head of the yamanaka clan, or at the very least was connected to him. He never truly lost that guarded look though.

And so, my training began, and it was very frustrating. Sakumo laughed, when I showed my current skills, even if it sounded a little forced, then he corrected everything I was doing wrong, and showed me more. Months passed, slowly, Minato was brought in to be a sparring partner, when it proved to be to dangerous for Sakumo.

He tried, he really did, but the sheer difference in our power was what made it impossible, he was TOO strong, and when we fought he was serious. I couldn't get over the fear of potential death, even though I knew he was trying to make me get used to fighting someone stronger than I was, to thinking of ways to use my skills in the best ways, but, I even knew he would stop before I actually got badly hurt, but even then, I almost killed him. The only thing that actually saved his life, was me running away before balthazar could actually touch him. It took two days for him to find me, and that was with Minato's help, and I was in bad condition.

Sakumo himself could only instruct, give ideas to try, and supervise my progress, which was reported to the Hokage every week. One of the most frustrating lessons, was actually reading people, I told Sakumo about how I see people's souls, and thus their emotions and intent. So he told me to use it, to walk the streets of konoha and learn how to read what people were going to do based on how they feel about things. But emotions were not black and white, or in my case, neatly organised into six pretty colours, I had to learn to understand the mixes I saw, how the amounts of each color mean different things.

I never felt like I was actually getting better at it, Minato on the other hand was obviously improving, and him being the genius he is, at a rate I had much difficulty keeping up with. If I didn't know him, how he fights and thinks, then I would have been left behind. Despite my adult intelligence, and truly unique powers, I wasn't a prodigy like him.

And then came the day, when the Hokage himself, judged whether or not I was controlled enough to actually GO to the academy. It was nerve wracking, and I was so glad when it was over. Sakumo, Minato, and I all went for ramen when he said I could, that was a good day, that was also when I was told training would cease, unless it was proven that I needed more.

Then there was the academy.

I thought it would be nice, to leave the orphanage, for an actual reason, besides mandatory training of course. However, I didn't really take into consideration the attitude of the other children, didn't realize just how mature Minato already was. It was horrifying, kids who were my age, were rubbing snot everywhere, making fart jokes, and being overly rowdy. I couldn't understand, they wanted to be ninja, shouldn't they take things more seriously? Apparently not. It was while I was lost in my traumatized musings, we were approached, by Yamanaka Inoichi himself.

"It's you, the one who helped my dad, when he nearly went crazy." I wasn't supposed to talk about that, so I remained quiet, and good thing too.

"You're also the one who made him that way in the first place, weren't you."

ooooh, this could be bad, Inoichi was a clan kid, a popular clan at that, and that means he sticks out. If a well known clan kid, picks a fight, one that has to do with a member of their family no less, other kids are going to notice. Spit and mucus covered or not, they aren't stupid, they will tell their parents about it, word will spread, and goodbye secrecy.

I'm glad we got a Uchiha to watch training that one day, using my idea of bragging rights in exchange for silence of course. I then coated myself in fire while they used their sharingan, something simple, an element that everyone knows well, that I can do some really weird shit with. So I could answer this issue with a "technically correct" answer, and not be singled out for being to powerful.

"I apologize for any pain I caused your family, but when your father worked with me that day, my bloodline awoke and he got hurt as a result. I've undergone training to ensure nothing of the like happens again."

His face didn't change, he was still angry. "You still hurt my dad, he almost had to quit being a shinobi because of you, I will never forget that."

I couldn't say anything, because it was true. "And I'm never going to accept you as a shinobi either."

Then he, Nara Shikaku, and Akamichi Choza, all walked away. That went well.

I guessed, several days later, my "encounter" with the clan children, was the reason why the rest of the kids seemed hesitant to even approach us. It was the orphanage all over again, Minato and I were alone, but that was okay, we were used to only having each other.

It was two years before anything exciting really happened, during those two years, aside from my obvious rivalry/feud with inoichi, Minato proved to the teachers what a genius he was. I on the other hand, proved that I wasn't, sure I was smart, respectful, and creative. However that didn't help me with learning things that I have never encountered before, I only had a basic grasp of Konoha's history before I died, and whatever I skimmed in the library, but that was it. The exemplary shinobi who made their mark, and when, actual strategies for the field, made by experts, not children, all went over my head.

I can honestly say, that if it wasn't for Minato, I probably would have fallen behind. But as it was, I did have him, he helped where I struggled, and together we held the top positions of our respective gender. Obviously there was a difference in how boys and girls were compared, but I can proudly say that I was in the top ten overall. Then, when I was getting comfortable with life, another brick to face scenario took place.

It was Kushina, she had come.

I was shocked, when her red headed self walked proudly into our classroom, announced her name, and loudly declared that she would become hokage. Then the icy dread started to take hold in my heart, with her here, things would start to move again, Minato would become her friend, they would fall in love, and I would be forgotten.

I couldn't hate her, she had the right to like people, fall in love, and get married just like everyone else. However, I knew, I KNEW that I would be alone again, that no one would understand me quite like Minato. People could try of course, but it would never be the same, I would lose my best friend eventually, so I have to make the best of the time left.

I watched as Minato stood, shared his dream, and then observed the impressive glare Kushina sent his way. If he was happy, then I would help Minato win her over, best friend possibly wing man? So be it.

After making that decision, I decided to become friends with the red head, if she wanted to spend time with me, then Minato would have an excuse to hang around her too, because we do just about everything together anyway.

There was also the little fact that people don't see me in a nice way, especially because in the two years I've already been here, people have pissed me off, which resulted in my anger induced red hair making an appearance. She might be able to relate…. After I tell her why anyways.

That was a difficult thing to explain to a nara, but having a "bloodline" was a wonderful excuse, especially when that's what the uchiha put on their report for the Hokage, "SETS SELF OF FIRE, WHEN ACTIVE-HAIR IS RED, INCREASED STRENGTH, VERY USEFUL"

So I was really glad I had an official excuse to tell, of course after I got over my shock of her approaching me first, when Kushina came to ask about it.

"People asked if were related because we both have red hair, but from what I can see, either they're blind, or your hiding it."

She then laughed loudly when I told her, my hair turns red when I get angry, and if I get too mad, I start on fire. From that day forth she declared us as friends, and I tried to not let the sadness I was feeling reach my heart.

 **Namikaze Minato**

It was strange, for Tamashi to be gone so often, of course she always came back at the end of the day and told him about training, but it wasn't the same, usually her stories involved him being present. There was nothing to be done though, Hokage-sama himself ordered both her and Sakumo, as he finally learned their ANBU friends name, to train before they even entered the academy.

So he was bored, nothing to do, the other kids didn't really like him that much because of his friendship with Tamashi, and Tamashi herself wouldn't be back till late afternoon or evening, if things stretched out that long.

So it came as both a pleasant surprise, and a fearful shock, when Sakumo came to him one day, asking for help to find their common person. It took them two, TWO days, to find her, and when they did, she looked terrible.

Tears streaming down her face as she looked at Sakumo, apologizing again and again, her clothes rough from sleeping outside, or not sleeping at all if those bags under her eyes were any indication.

She tried to run, but Sakumo being an ANBU, ensured that didn't happen. It was hard to watch, as she got pinned to the ground, face moved so she was forced to look at the grown man holding her down. Eyes bright gold.

She begged him to let her go, rocks digging into her skin as she tried to crawl away, still bearing his weight. Minato couldn't take it, but Sakumo didn't let him interfere.

"You need to learn to control your fear, I know you don't want to hurt anyone, especially me, but if you don't try, then you will never improve."

She was starting to glow, if he recalled correctly, the glow was a physical shield, one that nothing could penetrate. He understood where Sakumo was coming from, if she could control this power, then she would be a unstoppable force on the field, when she actually got there that is. But right now, she was his precious friend, here in front of him, and she was scared.

So despite the warning, Minato walked so Tamashi could see him, see his face, and he told her.

"Its okay, you can do it, I've seen how fearless you can be, you showed me the first day we met. When you attacked Hatake-san without really thinking"

That put a small smile on her face, but she was still glowing.

"Its okay to be afraid, he IS an ANBU, so he's going to be stronger than you, but what did you say to me once? Acknowledge your fear, but do not be controlled by it."

The glowing slowly faded, and her eyes returned to their pretty brown, Sakumo released her when he saw her breathing calm and asked if she was okay. At least he's nice.

That event decided that Minato would be present, and minimally participating, in all future training sessions. He could keep her calm when things were too much, and she knew him well enough that even balthazar wouldn't act against him if Tamashi got hurt. Which was the hardest part, hurting her on accident, he was stronger, so there were times she wasn't able to block or dodge.

If he was honest with himself, he never wanted to hurt her, but Sakumo took him aside, and explained that if she didn't practice now, with a person she truly trusts, then someone WILL get hurt, so Minato endured.

He was very glad when training was called to a stop, although he himself improved because of it, so they could attend the academy without outside distractions. He could tell that Tamashi was uncomfortable on their first day, when he asked her about it after they were let out, he was surprised it was because of the other kids, questionable behavior, and not the Yamanaka incident.

Things were good, he was top of the class, top shinobi, and although she only made the top ten overall, Tamashi was the best of the kunoichi, even if he had to help with homework. They worked as the team they always were, and nothing was going to come between that.

Then she came, the red head, Uzumaki Kushina.

He didn't dislike her, not really, she shared his dream of becoming Hokage, even if she glared at him when he said it. But there was a certain…. Aversion, when he thought of her. Kushina was a nice person, if you didn't piss her off, or make fun of her hair, but the fact that she seemed to cling to Tamashi at every spare second, irked him.

He would be nice though, Tamashi enjoyed her company, so he would try to get along. Things did get better though, after that one ramen outing, Kushina was upset that it wasn't just her and Tamashi, and tried to make him leave saying Minato would probably make fun of her hair, but, as a true friend Tamashi stood up for him.

"Quite the contrary, my friend, after my started turning red in anger, Minato told me that it was very pretty."

That shut her up, and although there was still uncertainty in her gaze, the uzumaki didn't insult him anymore… in public anyway. At the very least she didn't try to chase him off every time they hung out after class. He would almost say that they were, slowly, starting to become… friends.


End file.
